Should teachers be armed?

In a White House listening session with survivors of last week's Florida school shooting and others who've lost loved ones to gun violence, President Donald Trump said he'd consider a proposal to arm school teachers in order to prevent future massacres. The president said "teachers and coaches ... would have a concealed gun on them. They'd go for special training." Critics say arming teachers will only make the problem worse, and that we must enact real solutions to America's gun violence epidemic. What do you think?

PERSPECTIVES

Gun-control advocates are appalled at the idea of arming school teachers. Does the president really think putting the responsibility for stopping school shooters on our overworked, underpaid teachers is a good idea?

Trump just told a room full of students who survived a mass shooting that he wants to arm their teachers with guns. These are the kinds of solutions proposed by a president who is bought and paid for by the NRA to the tune of $30 million. #BanAssaultWeapons

Trump's proposal during his "listening session" to arm teachers and bring more guns into our schools is beyond preposterous. That's like saying the solution to lung cancer is to smoke more cigarettes. #ParklandStudentsSpeak

Others say perhaps teachers should be armed, but that should not be the only reform we make.

If Trump wants to arm teachers, then fine. Do it. See if it helps. But also stop selling AR's. And require licensing for all guns. And deny gun access to those with emotional concerns. Do these also. See if they help too. Do it. Please.

Samantha Michaels of Mother Jones points out we already have data about concealed carry: It doesn't work to prevent mass shootings.

The primary rationale for [concealed carry] laws, according to their supporters, is safety: School shooters, they say, are less likely to succeed in their attacks if students and teachers are armed and able to fight back.

But a new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that campus carry laws are unlikely to deter rampage shooters and may in fact lead to more injuries and deaths.

Judd said if teachers there were armed, the incident could have had a different outcome.

"We had coaches that ran to stand in front of their students with no gun," he said. "Why not give them a fighting chance?"

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